I share that tidbit with you only because it was the inspiration for my latest Halloween project, a framed chalkboard drawing of a forest with those glowing beady eyes that spook kids big and small.  Here it is, my latest (cheap) art idea just in time for Halloween.

This quick art project cost me nothing (well, I didn’t shop for anything new) and took less than an hour.  I found this old frame at a thrift store many months ago, it came with a nature painting that I may or may not keep, I’m undecided. Anyway, I paid $5 bucks at Goodwill and it was sitting in my garage. The rest of the supplies, (the foam board, chalkboard paint, and twinkle lights) I already had on hand. 

To make this I followed these four steps.  1. Cut a foam board to the size of your frame, then cover one side with two coats of black chalkboard spray paint.  2. Sketch then fill your chalk trees, 3. Use a small nail to determine location of glowing eyes, and 4. Insert tips of twinkle lights behind back of canvas.  Boom, you’re done.

If you’re having a Halloween party, this is fun idea for wall art, just sketch yourself a forest and add some sinister glowing eyes. The installation is especially cool at night. 

Speaking of Halloween, have you seen the scary tools over at Picnik?  You must go play around, it’s a lot of fun adding ghosts and fangs and zombie eyes to yourself, your friends, or loved ones. Send Grandma one with a fake beard and crazy eyeballs, she’s sure to love it. Maybe not. But your teens surely will!

   Lightning, spider webs, and scary movie effects seen below . . .

Do you have the feeling you’re being watched? 

Beware, you are.

Moooo haaaa haaaaa haaaaa. 

.L

What’s not cool (at least to me) is the price.  At $199 dollars each for an 18 x 18 inch square, I had to choke a bit.  You see, a few months ago I purchased some of these same skeleton keys for $2 dollars each at my favorite local salvage warehouse.  I plan on featuring them in my ‘Home for the Holidays’ Etsy shop – coming later this month.  I always thought they’d be so beautiful framed in a collection.  So I laughed when I saw Restoration Hardware’s images. 

Images via Restoration Hardware

A few days ago, I was doing some discount DIY framing, working on a photograph for my master bedroom.  One of the other projects I finished was my own miniature version of framed skeleton key art. 

These were so easy to make.  The most difficult part is finding the right key.  Luckily, I had my own stash. 

First, I gathered up some discount frames, some textured wallpaper (from a treatment I’ll be doing in my family room), some keys, hot glue, some champagne colored craft paint, and some balsam wood trim (available at any craft store)

I purposefully purchased frames that had extra room in between the glass and the rear of the frame to allow for the depth of the keys. 

I cut my textured wallpaper and adhered it to the back of my frame with some spray adhesive. 

Then I painted the balsam wood with the craft paint in the champagne color, and trimmed it with a steak knife to form a frame. 

I glued the frame and the keys to my textured wallpaper with hot glue.

I stuck them all in my black frame behind the glass, and now I have my own key art.

These smaller versions cost about $11 each.  But even if I had done this on a larger scale, with a larger frame, it would still be far cheaper than you know who. 

These keys are really interesting up close.  They’re all so unique and different.

Don’t you just love reminders like this of our past ?  I do.

These two are going to go somewhere in the medley of art I still have to display in my living room.  I’ve just picked up this mid-century sideboard from the local St. Vincent de Paul thrift for $50 dollars.  It was originally $100 dollars, but I was lucky to be there on 50% off furniture day. 

$50 dollars for this piece !  It’s solid wood American of Martinsville, and I have no idea what it’s worth.  I’d say more than $50 dollars.  And I am not sure what I’m going to do with it as far as the finish.  I will likely replace the hardware.  Should I stain it darker?  Maybe.  Paint it?  Probably not.  Leave it alone?  Perhaps. 

I’m going to sew a silk fabric runner for the top and then eventually get around to hanging some art above it. 

The wood detail and paneling is traditional, but still fabulous.  This will certainly come in handy during the holidays when we entertain.  Plus, it’s one more project for me to think about. 

Next, I’ll show you my DIY framing in the master bedroom  and give you the grand tour.  I’ve never shown you the master bedroom.  It’s time.  Stay tuned. 

Boston.  October 2004.  Ring a bell ?  Imagine trying to get a room in Boston in October of 2004 when the Red Sox faced the Cardinals in the World Series.  Ooops, didn’t see that one coming in my advance travel plans.  For hours, we dialed every hotel in town.  We lost count of how many operators said to us, “You do realize the Red Sox are playing in the World Series at Fenway tonight”.

Sinking further into stupidville with every call, again and again I replied:  “Yes, we are aware. **Sigh**  Do you have any rooms available?”  But like Mary and Joseph, we were turned away.  There was simply no room at the inn(s).  At one point, I even begged, “I have an eight month old baby.  Take pity on me.”  After several hours, and a crazy stroke of luck, we finally found the very last hotel room in town at the Hyatt.  Exhausted, we watched the fourth and final Fenway game from the lobby bar.  Reinvigorated by the beers, we became Red Sox fans.  Well, just for the night.  I’m a little off topic.  Where was I ?

Oh yes.  Throughout our New England tour, we were privileged to witness the fall foliage show.  Amazing aspens.  Magical maples.  I loved it all.  And let me just digress again.  You New Englanders seriously know how to prepare some chowda and lobstah.  I must have gained five pounds on that trip, between the New York bagels and the chowda.

While we were touring Newport (I heart Newport), we ran right into John Ratzenberger.  Wait, Kate.  Stay on topic !  Okay, while in Newport, I picked up one of my favorite Christmas ornaments:  a maple leaf covered with gold.  It was the source of inspiration for this next fall themed art project.

Some of you may recall that I have a bit of an eyesore in my foyer, known as the alarm control.  Over the summer, I designed what you could call a ‘James Bond’ approach to disguising this eyesore – hiding it behind a homemade painting.  Summer’s version was turquoise blue with cherry tree branches.

So for fall, I decided to make two new seasonal canvases, again inspired by nature, but this time I wanted to add a textural element.  I went outside to my yard, and picked three kinds of leaves from a bush, a tree, and a hedge.  I really really like it when supplies are free.

Overnight, I pressed the leaves mostly flat between wax paper and heavy books.

Then I gathered these supplies from my craft cabinet:  two discount canvases from a craft store, leftover acrylic paints, some metallic Mod Podge and metallic glaze.

First, I mixed up some shades of green, one bluish green, one lemongrass, and painted them on the canvases.  Don’t ask me how I achieve these colors.  I just keep blending and mixing and adding white till it looks right.  There is simply no method to my madness.

When dry, I applied my flattened leaves to my canvas with the silvery metallic Mod Podge.

When all the leaves were attached, I used some bronze glaze to add shimmer, and highlight the already beautiful colors in these leaves.

I experimented with some swoops and accents to mimic a blustery day.

Then I mixed some burnt umber craft paint with the bronze metallic and played around in an abstract way.

I let them dry and then hung them on the wall.

Up close, some of them are pretty darn gorgeous.

Me likey texture.

My girlfriend dropped by, and asked the question that under any other circumstances a woman never wants to hear, nor answer.

“Are those real?”

“They’re real.  And they’re spectacular.”

(Bonus points if you get the reference.)

I dub thee Blustery I and Blustery II.

Fancy in form, and functional too.  They make a great disguise for the alarm control.

And a seasonal backdrop for this week’s yard clippings.

Fall leaves on canvas.

Pretty.  Simple.  And pretty close to free.

.

Tim Irving is a full time photographer, who has been taking photographs since he was 9 years old. He’s English, and attended art school in London, which included a spell at the Royal College of Art.

Mr. Irving specializes in travel and interior photography. He earns his living taking photos of houses and interiors, for magazines, agencies and holiday brochures. He also produces art photographs which he sells in his Etsy shop. He resides in Spain, but travels extensively for his work, all through Europe, India and Africa. He has another Etsy shop Spanish Angels featuring vintage treasures from Spain and France (not included in giveaway).

Now doesn’t his life sound so exotic? Just looking at his images and his Etsy shops takes me right back to my European travels from years ago. Sigh.

Tim Irving’s recent work has been seen in Time Magazine, The Times (London), the National Portrait Gallery (UK), Lowry Gallery (UK), My Castle in Spain (blog) and the book ‘100 of the Best Tapas Bars in Granada’ (limited availability on Amazon). For a look at selected images available for sale on his Etsy shop, look here.

You can also follow Tim’s blog StyleMed, featuring a glimpse at Mediterranean style and design. How fascinating is his life !

Giveaway Details:

Not one, not two, but THREE lucky winners will receive an Art Photograph from Tim Irving’s Etsy shop, measuring 8 x8 inches and personally signed on the back by the artist. Includes free shipping! That’s right, there will be THREE lucky recipients of his original art.

Peruse his stunningly beautiful works and decide where one should go in your home. These are my personal favorites.

‘Over The Garden Fence’

‘French Culinary Lavender’

‘Carousel’

‘African Kitchenalia’

‘Provence, France’

‘Fantasy Land’

‘Table for Two’

‘Lie Back and Think of Poppies’

‘Paris Metro’

‘Red Ripe’

‘Waiting for Dinner’

‘Vintage Spanish Flamenco Dress’

‘View of Paris’

‘Lone Parent’

‘Devotion to the Ocean’

And in honor of the Tour de France, ‘Yellow Jersey’ (Mr. CG’s favorite)

There are many many more photographs to view at his Etsy shop, and the three lucky winners can choose any single image on the site.

To Enter:

Simply leave a comment telling us your favorite among Tim’s images. It doesn’t have to be one that I’ve shown, you can pick your own favorite from his site. Don’t forget to tell us where you’d display it too.

Three winners !

Giveaway ends Friday July 24th at 11 pm PST. The winners will be chosen by Random.org. Enjoy the lovely photographs, and good luck !

I recommended these dogwood prints in a mood board for Kelly several months back.  They’ve always stuck in my mind, for their color, and their botanical simplicity.  Unfortunately, they’re a bit of an investment at $288 for the pair. 

So in an attempt to inject a pop of peacock blue into my neutral space, I came up with my own imitation, based on the cherry tree branches that sit in my foyer.  Channeling Van Gogh, I used some acrylic paints leftover from my art classes to create a little work of art .  Here’s my little $5 knockoff. 

The motion detectors are elsewhere, so thankfully the control can be hidden.  Now the alarm control is invisible, James Bond style.

Here’s the eyesore before:

And a peek at my foyer after adding the little painting:

Do you have a thermostat or an outlet on your wall that bothers you too?  A simple painting on canvas, store bought or homemade, will do the trick. 

Simple Cherry Tree Branch Painting:

Step One:  Mix your background color.  With my acrylic paints, I mixed the peacock blue color with a bit of black, a lot of white, a hint of hansa light yellow, and ultramarine blue.  You could also buy a $2 bottle of craft paint in your favorite color, and use that. 

This color wheel always comes in handy. 

Step Two:  When your background color is dry, freeform the branches with brown paint.  Create whatever looks good to you.  I used burnt umber craft paint.

Step Three:  Add blossoms with white or cream colored paint.  Again, you could use artist’s acrylics or just craft paint. 

Step Four:  Add tiny stems to blossoms. 

Step Five:  Dry glaze edges with taupe craft paint.  

So now my foyer has just that bit of blue I was looking for and mimics the existing branches on display.

Perhaps in the fall, I’ll do another, with a burnt orange background.  Maybe a series for the entire year?  Apple green in spring? 

.

Next, I wanted to dabble in a bit of wall art for the master bathroom. So I had a crazy idea to take metallic wrapping paper and use it to make three artsy wall panels.  I know, totally crazy. 

But I went out on a limb with this one, all the while tapping into my inner struggling artist.  Perhaps I should blame the 100 degree heat.  Maybe it was the late night margarita.  Most likely, this madness comes from my third day of sleep deprivation, thanks to my three year old who has, all of a sudden and out of the blue, found his way into my bed.  Again.  And he kicks me.  In his sleep.  All night.  But I digress.

Here’s a peek at the cabinet door, Before and After:   

If this project is not your thang, kindly tune in tomorrow for my Festive Fourth Flower Pots.  But if you’re remotely interested in this project, read on.  Here’s how I pulled this one off. 

Step One:  Remove all existing hardware, and give your cabinet door a good sanding. 

Step Two:   Fill any holes from your knobs with wood filler.

Step Three:  Prime your cabinet door with spray primer to prep if for your paint treatment.

Step Four:  Attach your new picture hanging hooks to the back of your cabinet door.  Enlist help, if available. 

Gosh darn it, why does the little guy have to be so cute, after torturing me so?

Step Five:  After primer is dry, use painter’s tape to mask off the stripe. 

Step Six:  Choose your paint color for your stripe. I added some black acrylic paint to my gray craft paint for added depth and drama.   Apply your stripe effect with two coats of paint.

Step Seven:  When your stripe is dry, remove painter’s tape.  Use Modge Podge to adhere your wrapping paper to the cabinet door.  You could also use spray adhesive here.  And you could also use wallpaper, instead of wrapping paper.  I chose the more inexpensive version.  You’ll notice I used shimmer Modge Podge, because I ended up using it on top of the paper on the middle panel to blend the metallics together. 

Little Side Note:  Because of my uncertainty about the success of this project, I decided beforehand that it would hang in a non-public area, in my master toilette room, where only myself and the Mister would see it.  I was delightfully surprised when Mr. CG came home tonight, and he proclaimed that he really and truly loved these.  And he’s very picky when it comes to art. 

I, on the other hand, am not sold on this yet.  But for now, it will hang here in the toilet room until I come up with another better idea, which might be never.   

Here they are: 

So who do you side with, Him or Her ? 

**********  Afternoon Update, After Your Comments ****************

I followed Allie and The Neppers suggestion to add the monogram. 

It’s a hint better, maybe.  I think it’s the font that’s wrong.  Perhaps the color too.  Still not crazy about that middle panel.  I’ll keep working on it.  Thanks for all the feedback !

Kate